LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



DDDDhm'^lflD? 










.^^ 














^oV^ 



cOv', 



.0 ^^ 






^°o 











r., 



% Msmust, 




C7 

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO A GRATEFUL PEOPLE 

Jn JHcmnri) of tijc WoxH\ 

OP 

OUR LAMENTED CHIEF MAGISTRATE, 

DELIVERED APRIL 21st, 1865, 

BY 

Rev. Abraham Grater. 



Copied \>y several German Newspapers and trans- 
» lated from the Grerman. 



SKIPPACKVILLE, Pa., 

Printed by J. M. Schuenemann. 

1865. 



For Sale : By I. Kohler, No. 202 North 4th St., Philadelphia. 
Neutralist Office, Skippackville, Montg. County, Pa. 



Price : Single copy 5 cts. ; 30 copies $1 ;— send to any 
address free of postage. 



Ann 




% tfulijp 



ON THE 



LIFE AND DEATH OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN'. 



'« Ye knon- nothing at alienor consider that it is expedient fo)- us, that one 
man should, die for the people, and the whole nation perish not."" 

John XI., part of the -10. and 50. v. 



'he disciples of Jesus could not at first realize that it was 
better for them that the Saviour should be crucified by his 
enemies : so the friends of Abraham Lincoln, have as yet not 
understood that it vras better that he should lose his life at the 
hands of his murderous enemies. "We have realized what Christ 
told his disciples shortly before his suffering : — " Ye shall weep 
and mourn, but the world will rejoice ; ye shall be sorrowful, 
but your sorrow shall be turned into, joy." 

"While thousands are now weeping and mourning on account 
(if the loss of our honored chief magistrate, Secessionists and 
blackhearted traitors are secretly exulting over his death. The 
(liristian, iu con.sidering the sentiments of the text, knows full 
well that it is better for him to believe in the death, burial 
and resurrection of Christ, tlian that he had never died. The 
death of our lamented President may be viewed similarly iu 
many respects as the Saviour of his people. 



~ 4 — 

The Saviour as the head of the Church upon earth, came to 
destroy the power of the devil, and to set up the kingdom of 
God : Abraham Lincoln, as the head of this nation, was ordained 
in the Providence of God, to stay the tide of rebellion and to 
restore the Union. 

The Saviour and his Apostles were ever contending with the 
powers of darkness and sin ; by the aid of the sword of the 
spirit and the word of God they gained the victory. Abraham 
Lincoln and the brave patriots of our nation, with the sword 
and the help of God, conquered the rebels. Christ fell a 
victim to his malefactors, poured out his blood, and gave him- 
self a sacrifice to redeem the whole human famil}'. On the same 
day of the year, in chronological order that Christ was crucified, 
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, and poured out his blood, 
and gave his life for the nation and the freedom of the oppressed 
blacks. 

When Christ on earth triumphed over his enemies, his dis- 
ciples sang praises and shouted for joy, believing that he was 
about to set up his kingdom on earth ; but their joy was soon 
turned into sorrow when they heard of his death ; but his ene- 
mies rejoiced, wishing he had died long before. When Abraham 
Lincoln was victorious, his friends rejoiced and sang praises of 
joy, for they believed that the government was saved and the 
Union restored : but their joy was soon turned into mourning 
as they heard the sad intelligence of his death. His enemies, 
however, gloated in evident satisfaction over the murderous act, 
and had wished it long before. 

What, I ask, occurred as Christ suffered and hung dying upon 
the cross ? Darkness covered the whole land from the sixth to 
the ninth hour, the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple 
was rent in twain. When the centurion saw what had happened, 
he said: — " Truly, this was a good man." What took place 
when Abraham Lincoln suff'ered and died ? A sudden and deep 
gloom was spread over the nation, and his friends clothed tliem- 



— 5 — 

selves in tlic habiliments of mourning ; the flags so lately floating 
in the breeze in demonstration of joy and triumph for late vic- 
tories won, are suddenly draped in black. 

The glorious news coming to us from Washington, announcing 
victory upon victory, was destined soon to be obscured by the 
gloom and sadness so soon following. The veil of the nation's 
heart is rent in twain in the removal of our good President. 
The heads of department and others witnessing these scene 
were constrained to say : — " Truly, he was a good man." 

What were some of the acts of Christ during his short minis- 
try upon earth ? He caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear 
the lame to walk ; uncleaa spirits to be cast out ; lepers to be 
cleansed, and even the dead were brought to life again. 
What did Abraham Lincoln do during his short administration ? 
He caused many blindly and stubbornly opposed to his policy 
to see, many disaffected ones to be reconciled, many possessed 
of the worst spirit of secession to be restored to the Union. 
Even many apparently dead to the cause of justice and liberty 
have been marvellously called to life, and are now battling nobly 
for the right. Christ was made an offering about the fourth year 
of his ministry ; our late President in like manner fell a sacri- 
fice about the fourth year of his administration. The high 
priest* covenanted with Judas for thirty pieces of silver, to be- 
tray Christ to be crucified. What amount the arch-traitors of 
this rebellion agreed to pay the assassin of President Lincoln, 
we have not yet learned. 

In considering the sense of our text, the question may be 
asked, — What good was secured to the human family by the 
death of our Saviour ? We answer, according to the Scriptures, 
that millions of souls, fettered and chained by sin, that believed 
in Christ, are redeemed, and made to enjoy not only temporal, 
but eternal good. The benefits of a Saviour slain shall avail 
for millions in coming time, who believe on him, and praise and 
adore his name for ever. 



— 6 — 

What has resulted to the people of the United States through 
the death of our President ? "VVe reply, many millions of slaves^ 
by the help of God, have had the shackles and manacles of 
bondage broken off, and many millions of beings, black and white, 
shall hereafter enjoy the benefits of freedom to his honor and 
glory forever, and praise God that in the sacrifice of Abraham 
Lincoln the slaves -were set free, and the Union, as we trust, 
])ermanently restored. If we should inquire of the enemies of 
Jjiiicoln, what sin or unjust act he had done during his adminis- 
tration against his country or the nation, the}' could hardly 
point to a single one, as the Saviour said to the Jews, John 
ViiJ., 4(3. • 

Yet I do not wish to imply that Abraham Lincoln was imma- 
culate, or that he needed no Saviour ; — far from it. This is ad- 
mitted in the fact that he deemed it proper and necessary that 
(lays for national fasting, humiliation and prayer be set apart 
for observance by the people. 

Since his death certain censorious, self-righteous persons have 
rashly criticised the motives of his being in the theatre on the 
occasion of his assassination, and would have no other evidence 
to prove the- bad character of the man. It was also said of our 
Saviour, that he Avas not of God, because he associated with 
])ublicans and sinners. We affirm that a man is ever a*man 
in every situation of 111x3 ; so a Christian, as such, placed in any 
cf»ndition, exercises a Christian influence in every place and 
midcr all circumstances. Placo of itself does not sanctify or 
iinsancliry a man, provided he wills no wrong, or indulges in 
\i\) sin ; or else the wicked in attendance on public worship in 
tlie House of God would be Saints. The motives always give 
color to the act. AVhy, in the Providence of God, he was pcr- 
miitcd to lose his life in the theatre at Washington in the pre- 
Mt-nce of so many people, is alone known to the searcher of 
licavts, who always employs such means and instrumentalities 
to win wavward &ouls as suits him. 



— 7 — 

AVe do assert, without fear of contradiction, that never in the 
history of our GoTcrmncnt was the loss of an}" man bo deeply de- 
plored and generally lamented as that of our late beloved Chief 
■3Iagistrate. His qualities of mind and heart had latterly so 
endeared themselves to many of his friends, that their admira- 
tion of them amounted almost to adoration, evidencing almost 
an idolizing passion for his character. When, on the contrary, 
we contemplate the change so suddenly made, the friends and 
admirers of the President, hearing of his sad death, put on the 
weeds of mourning, and in the grief and sorrow of their hearts 
inquired of God : Why hast thou permitted us to he thus bereft 
of our good President by murderous hands, inasmuch as he had 
just triumphed over his enemies, and, as was supposed, was 
about to restore to us the Union, and to ratify peace. But he 
is gone. Lord, what can be thy object in permitting this ca- 
lamity 1 Many such and similar prayers have been olfered be- 
fore God, not by single individuals only, but, as it were by mil- 
lions of people. 

In conclusion I would again say, in the language of our text : 
" Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for 
us, that the President should die,— the slaves be set free, man 
be brought to worship the Lord,— the Union restored; than 
that he should live, and slavery still exist, and the Union be 
divided, and the nation unhappy. 

Finally, I implore Thee, our Heavenly Father, who beholdest 
the many hearts made sad by the removal of our lamented Pre- 
sident, that thou suffer us not to mourn as those who have no 
hope. Our Father, have mercy on the enemies of our Govern- 
ment. Graciously grant that they may no longer rebel against 
it. Have mercy on the vile assassin of our late President. 
Bless our soldiers, especially the sick and wounded. Father, 
I beseech Thee to endue the successor of our late President with 
wisdom and ability in a two-fold measure more than his prede- 
cessor during his administration. God bless the whole Cabinet. 



— 8 — 

Have mercy on the afflicted friends and relatives of the deceased. 
Comfort them, I pray Thee, with the consolation that he fell a 
victim to his enemies without cause like an innocent lamb, 
and that his soul now rests in Abraham's bosom. God grant 
that this sad dispensation may be sanctified not only to our 
good, but also to the temporal and eternal welfare of posterity. 
Amen. 



W6C 

















.* .'^* 




,**^ ' 













.V 


















**^ ^^ *l 







^°c, 







HO<, 







^Ao^ 









